Thursday, December 1, 2016

One Tough {Christmas} Cookie - Modcloth

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I was going to give this post a clever and punny Christmas themed title but decided to go with the idiom "One Tough Cookie" after experiencing something interesting while photographing this outfit.



I will be honest that when I hear of various women's tales of creepy behavior from men, I kind of just shake my head at the ridiculousness of men and don't think much more of it. I live in Suburbia and don't find myself around enough people on a daily basis to encounter creeps or men leering. I am not stupid, I know it's out there, but I just don't experience it.


Let me share my story and we can decide if I have had my first creeper encounter together, shall we?


I drove around the corner to part of a local state park on a cloudy and drizzly day to photograph this head-to-toe Modcloth outfit. It was Black Friday, to be exact, so I knew no one would be around. They were all either shopping or staying home to decorate their trees in her pajamas.


I was right - the park was empty, not a car in the lot, and I had the place to myself. I didn't actually go in the park as the line of wintry trees in the parking lot was all I needed for my backdrop. I set myself up and got to work. I was doing fine and getting what I wanted for quite awhile, actually. The part of the park I was in is used mostly for boat entry into the water so it really would be deserted this time of year.


Then, it happened.


I heard a truck pull into the entrance to my left. Then it idled.

Hmm.


I kept snapping, assuming the truck was turning around or resetting his GPS. No biggie. I mean, if the driver wanted to enter the park, he had PLENTY of room to do it. I was blocking a narrow road that led to the water but there was another way in on the other side of the lot, not to mention an ENTIRE parking lot accessible to him if he wanted to come in, park, and go walk the trails in the woods.


After a few more minutes, it got weird. Like, what do you want, dude? Drive away or park! I am BUSY here!


He slowly pulled into the parking lot. Cool. Welcome, amigo. But he didn't park in one of the 100 spots beyond the spot my car was in. He turned around and then idled in the middle of the lot so that his driver side door faced me head on.


CAN I HELP YOU, BRO?!

It was totally weird! Again, I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and say, oh he's lost and resetting his GPS but I mean, WHY pull in and turn around and idle there just so? He didn't pull into an actual spot at all.


He sat there for only a minute or so and then slowly drove off and exited the park entirely. Hmm. So. Yeah.

Thoughts? I don't want to assume because he didn't interrupt me, try to speak to me, or exit his car, but if he was innocently on a call or lost or whatever, why act so dang suspicious?

I am glad I just ignored him. If he was being gross and oogling at me, I didn't want to acknowledge him and make him think it was OK to engage farther.


I mean, does he have a gingerbread fetish? Did he like my skirt? You can get it on Modcloth, hombre! I bet you'd look great in it! Whatever floats your boat!


I don't know, I also find it hard to believe I would be of any interest. I mean, I wear dresses longer than my knee, nothing form-fitting (usually), and my hair competes with my petticoat on the daily to see who will be puffiest. I also look like I am 12.

Do I consider myself attractive in the conventional sense that I will attract unwanted attention from men on the daily? No. Not at all.


This is why even now, as I write up the story, I even wonder if what happened even WAS what it felt like. Because my mind just doesn't go there first. Regardless, no matter WHAT he was doing, he just didn't HAVE to do it right then, right there, in such a sketchy way. This is why I don't stray too far from my house when I snap photos on my own. Buddy system!!


UGH! Can't a girl take pictures of herself in a skirt covered in Christmas cookies in peace??